French schools to offer vegetarian menu once a week
Schools in France will now be required to offer a vegetarian menu at least once a week, and remove single-use plastic from canteens, after the National Assembly gave the 鈥済reen light鈥� to the ideas.
Over the next two years, school canteens pupils a menu that includes no meat, at least once a week, with data collected on the impact of the change on health, pupil numbers, and waste.
The Assembly the use of plastic containers and single-use plastic in canteens in schools and universities.
The vegetarian 鈥渆xperiment鈥� comes after 24 MPs presented the amendment bill to the Assembly, with motion leader Barbara Pompili MP (La R茅publique en Marche, LREM) particularly in favour of asking 鈥減ublic or private鈥� caterers to 鈥渙ffer a vegetarian menu at least once a week鈥�.
Vegetarian options could include protein from other animal products - such as dairy or eggs - as well as vegetables and grains.
Ms Pompili said that the vote in favour of the idea was a 鈥済reat collective victory鈥�, and was a step forward for the environment, health, a balanced diet, and equality.
The two-year experiment will allow the government and catering companies themselves to evaluate the impact the change will make on food waste, the cost of meals, and the number of pupils who take up the scheme.
The results will be reported back at least six months before the experiment is set to end.
Ms Pompili : 鈥淲e need schools to play a role in teaching children what [good] food is."
She rejected what she called 鈥渢he widespread idea鈥� that a balanced diet 鈥渕ust鈥� include meat, the vote reflected 鈥渁 strong view from the population鈥�, and was a step 鈥渋n the right direction鈥�.
On the subject of banning single-use plastic, she said: 鈥淭his is a real step forward for public health. The goal is to protect ourselves against eventual health risks. Plastic materials can contain substances that are known to be 鈥榚ndocrine disruptors鈥�.
鈥淲e want to introduce a 鈥榩rinciple of precaution鈥� in the catering sector.鈥�
But St茅phane Travert, minister for Agriculture, was against enforcing such changes by law - especially the issue of a vegetarian-only diet option.
: 鈥淥n a social debate [such as this], I defend freedom of choice. I am not here to impose things such as this into law.鈥�
He sought to remind caterers that they are already at liberty to serve a vegetarian menu if they so choose.
